Traction-wheel.



J. M. ROBERTS.

TRAGTION WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18,1908.

903,231 Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR A TTORNE Y 1 c ma Nurems FEfERs co., wAsHlNc oN. D

J). M. ROBERTS.

TRAGTION WHEEL.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 18,1908.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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INVENTOR fh. @KM/Q ATTORNEY rHE nomas PETERS J. M. ROBERTS.

TRAGTION WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY la, 190s.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

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WITNESSES ATTORNEY I l rms Nakms PETERS co.. wnsnmarorv, n. c.

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Application filed May 18, 1903.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Tiaction-llllieels, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a traction wheel especiallyadapted for use on heavy slow geared machines and I accomplish my objectby the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel shown in contact with theground; Fig. 2 is a segmental perspective view of a wheel; Fig. 3 is asectional detail view of a spring retained in a tube; Fig. 4: is adetail view of a spring retaining device in a dierent form; Fig. 5 is aside elevation of a wheel corresponding with that shown in Fig. 1,except that double curved springs are substituted for spiral springs;Fig. 6 is a section view of a wheel on line x-.r in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is adetail of a curved spring; Fig. S is a front view of the spring shown inFig. 7; Fig. 9 is a partial si de elevation of a forward truck wheelshowing flat spring feet therein; Fig. l0 is a section view of Fig. 9 online Y-Y; Fig. 11 is an elevation of the tread and feet of the wheelseen in Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a partial side elevation of a forward truckwheel showing a different form of construction; Fig. 13, is a section ofthe wheel seen in Fig. 12, shown in line e-z, and Fig. 1/1 is asectional detail of a foot push button.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

In the drawings, A is the hub of a wheel, B B are rims set edgewise andC C are spokes held in rigid position by the hub and rim.

The device may be constructed with one rim, as shown in Fig. 12, tworims as shown in Fig. 11, or with three rims, as shown in Fig. 2.

D D are triangular metal feet each pivotally connected with the rim orrims by an axle (l.

E E are tubes the upper end of each pivotally connected with hub A by anaxle cl. A spiral spring H is confined in said tube by a cap nut /L atthe bottom with a perforation therein to permit a rod I provided with aslide nut c' at its top end to pass vertically through said spring. Aleg J extending upward from said foot is provided with perforationsthrough its top. Through each of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Serial No. 433,449.

said perforations there is a bolt with which an eye in the bottom end ofrod I engages loosely, said bolt serving as an axle. The bottom of thefeet are fiat, except when it is desired to provide heels with corks foruse on country roads. As shown in Fig. 1, each foot makes two turns onits axle, one turn forward with the roll of the wheel and one turnbackward reverse with the roll of the wheel: As the wheel rolls over, itthereby makes two pulls on the spring by throwing the spring from astraight line to an obtuse angle, and as the feet are placed around therims, preferably in two rows, with the axle of each foot half waybetween the heel and toe of the two feet on opposite sides, three feetare always in contact with the ground: Two are pullingl on springs atthe same time, one in front of the center of the bottom of the wheel,another behind the center of the bottom of the wheel, thereby whenrolling giving elasticity, while a third foot is flat on the groundgiving the wheel broad bearing surface, small penetrating force to sinkin mud or soft earth and great traction power to hold on slick surfacesand to run over bridges without injuring the floors.

To prevent mud from caking on the bottoms of the feet they are providedwith threaded holes L L, into which threaded sleeves M M are screwed,which sleeves carry buttons O O. These buttons extend slightly below theflat bottoms of the feet. are compressed up into the sleeves as eachfoot strikes the ground and when released by the passage of the foot olfthe ground is driven out of the sleeve by a spring P, thus loosening andscattering the mud that has gathered on the bottom of the foot.

Without changing the purpose or scope of my invention I desire toreserve the right as a mere mechanical change to construct the wheelswith either one, two or three rows of feet and rims, to substitute forthe spiral spring a flat spring with single or double curve, as shown inFigs. 12 and 5, and also to substitute for use on forward trucks flatspring feet simply attached to cross sections between two rims asillustrated in Fig. 9, instead of the feet D D, and to substitute theconstruction for supporting the spring, shown in Fig. 4 for that shownin Fig. l.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a traction Wheel the combination with a hub and a plurality ofspokes, of rims set edgewise, triangular feet, the pivots sup.

porting said feet between said rims, tubes and the axles at the top endsthereof to support the same to said hub, the rods and springs operatingin said tubes, the slide nuts at the tops of said springs and the capnuts at the bottom of said tubes to retain said spring and provided witha perforation to permit the lower ends of the rods to passv through, theaxles through the tops of said legs with which said rods engage,permitting the forward and backward movement of the feet and springs andtubes as a foot contacts with the ground, substantially as set forth andshown.

2. The combination with a traction wheel, of a foot and leg having atriangular contour pivotally supported to the rim of `a wheel, a springhaving pivotal connection with the top of said leg and with the hub tosecure adaptability of the foot as it contacts with the ground as thewheel revolves, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with the foot of a traction wheel provided with athreaded hole, of a threaded sleeve screwed therein, a mud cleaningbutton carried thereby adapt ed to be compressed into said sleeve as thefoot strikes the ground and a spiral spring within said sleeve by whichsaid button is driven somewhat below the mouth of said sleeve when thefoot is released from contact with the ground, Substantially asA shownand set forth. "f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. ROBERTS.

fitnesses S. S. ALLEN, H. L. MITCHELL.

